Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 - 8 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1 & 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Caldeira (US 2013/0257144 A1) in view of Salter (US 2022/0379743 A1).
Regarding Claim 1:
Caldeira discloses: A charging control system, the charging control system comprising: (Caldeira discloses in at least Paragraph 0009 a control system configured to control a transfer of energy between storage and auxiliary batteries of a vehicle and trailer [i.e. a charging control system])
a vehicle including a rechargeable vehicle battery; (Caldiera discloses in at least Paragraphs 0040 & 0043 wherein the system may be implemented within a vehicle, which includes a rechargeable electric storage battery [i.e. a vehicle including a rechargeable vehicle battery])
a user device including a display and data processing hardware in communication with the display and (Caldeira discloses in at least Paragraphs 0058 & 0059 a user interface [i.e. a user device] with coupled display device including any display known in the art [i.e. including a display] which may present information relating to the vehicle battery system, and receive input information from a user as disclosed in at least Paragraph 0060 of Caldeira. The user interface is disclosed in at least Paragraph 0177 to be disposed in the vehicle or trailer, or in the alternative embodied as a remote communication device, such as a smartphone or tablet. At least Paragraph 0325 of Caldeira discloses wherein the device may include hardware such as memory and processors [i.e. data processing hardware in communication with the display])
executing a charging application (Caldiera discloses in at least Paragraph 0325 wherein an applications program [i.e. a charging application] may be used to implement the contents of the disclosure)
for executing a charge protocol for the external device that transfers charge from the vehicle battery to the external device based on a preselected battery percentage of the external device; and (Caldiera discloses in at least Paragraphs 0080, 0093, & 0285 wherein a control system may be configured to establish a charge state of one or more auxiliary batteries of a towable trailer above a preselected charge level, for example a charge level input by a user to the control system [i.e. a preselected battery percentage of the external device], by transferring electrical energy between a vehicle storage battery and auxiliary battery [i.e. executing a charge protocol for the external device that transfers charge from the vehicle battery to the external device based on a preselected battery percentage of the external device])
a vehicle controller communicatively coupled to the user device via a network, (Caldiera discloses in at least Paragraph 0051 wherein the system may include a control system for the vehicle [i.e. a vehicle controller], which may control the transfer of electrical energy between vehicle and auxiliary batteries, the control system including a plurality of computing components, such as memory and processors, as disclosed in at least Paragraph 0062. Caldiera further discloses in at least Paragraph 0059 wherein the control system may be communicatively coupled to the display device [i.e. the vehicle controller is communicatively coupled to the user device] to relay information to the user)
the vehicle controller storing at least one of battery power, battery life, and battery capacity of the vehicle battery and (Caldiera discloses in at least Paragraph 0069 wherein a battery monitoring system may be configured to monitor characteristics of storage batteries of the vehicle, and transmit one or more signals indicative of the monitored characteristics to the control system [i.e. the vehicle controller] which may include memory [i.e. storage] for storing receive information as disclosed in at least Paragraph 0062. The characteristics monitored by the battery monitoring system are disclosed in at least Paragraph 0070 of Caldiera to include a state of charge of one or more batteries [i.e. the monitored characteristics stored by the control system include battery life of a vehicle battery])
provide charge options for executing the charge protocol on the display including at least one of a charge time, charging locations, and a projected level of the battery capacity when the charging application is executed on the data processing hardware, (Caldeira discloses in at least Paragraph 0084 wherein the control system may transmit and display a query for a user selected charge level to be input on the display device [i.e. charge options for executing the charge protocol are provided on the display, including… a projected level of the battery capacity]. In response to the displayed query, the user may select the preferred charge level of the one or more storage batteries of the vehicle or the one or more auxiliary batteries via the user interface device, and the control system is controlled to establish the selected charge levels in the one or more batteries)
and charge is transferred from the vehicle battery to the external device to achieve the preselected battery percentage of the external device in response to the data processing hardware executing the charge protocol. (Caldeira discloses in at least Paragraphs 0080, 0081, & 0084 wherein a control system may be configured to receive an input from a user through a user interface device indicative of the desired charge level of one or more auxiliary batteries [i.e. external devices], and the control system controls circuitry to achieve the selected charge level in the one or more auxiliary batteries by transferring electrical energy between the one or more storage and auxiliary batteries as disclosed in at least Paragraphs 0093 & 0103 [i.e. charge is transferred from the vehicle battery to the external device to achieve the preselected battery percentage of the external device in response to the data processing hardware executing the charge protocol].
Caldiera however appears to be silent regarding:
Wherein the charging application stores a charging profile of an external device, a vehicle profile of the vehicle, and saved charging options
The vehicle controller being configured to update the vehicle profile of the charging application and
However Salter teaches wherein an electric vehicle may be coupled to an electric recreational vehicle, with charge being transferred between the two based on received charging profiles, respective vehicle information, and user inputs.
Wherein the charging application stores a charging profile of an external device, a vehicle profile of the vehicle, and saved charging options (However Salter teaches in at least Paragraphs 0080 & 0081 wherein the control module of an electrified recreational vehicle [i.e. an external device] may communicate a charging profile [i.e. a charging profile of an external device] to the control module of the electrified vehicle [i.e. charging application as set forth in at least Paragraph 0076 of Salter], which may be stored in the memory of, and further used by, the control module for configuring the bidirectional power transfer [i.e. the charging application stores a charging profile of an external device]. Further, at least Paragraph 0108 of Salter teaches wherein the user interface [i.e. charging application] may provide information such as the SOC percentage and range of the electric vehicle, among other information related to the electric vehicle as depicted in at least Figure 8 of Salter, below [i.e. the charging application stores a vehicle profile of the vehicle under the broadest reasonable interpretation of the term as set forth in at least Paragraph 0048 of the present specification]. At least Paragraph 0088 of Salter further teaches wherein a plurality of bidirectional charging settings may be presented to a user through the user interface, said settings including direction of energy transfer, charging configuration, a timer, a transfer speed, and the like, as taught in at least Paragraphs 0089 – 0096 of Salter [i.e. the charging application stores saved charging options]. At least Figure 5B of Salter, below, depicts one such interface)
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the vehicle controller being configured to update the vehicle profile of the charging application and (However Salter teaches in at least Paragraph 0108 and Figure 8, above, wherein information may be presented to a user during the charging operation, including the SOC percentage and range of the electrified vehicle, calculated battery capacity information, and the like [i.e. the vehicle profile of the charging application as set forth above is updated during the charging operation]. As set forth above, at least Paragraphs 0070 & 0076 of Salter teach wherein the user interface may be presented on the HMI, which is controlled by the control module of the vehicle [i.e. the vehicle controller is configured to update the vehicle profile of the charging application])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to have modified the disclosure of Caldeira by incorporating the charging application receiving and updating information from the vehicle and connected electrified recreational vehicle, including a connected electrified recreational vehicle charging profile as taught by Salter.
The motivation to do so is that, as acknowledged by Salter in at least Paragraphs 0080, 0081, 0089, & 0108, charging between battery units may be appropriately configured both based on requirements & states of the respective battery devices, as well as user preferences selected, improving the performance of charging as well as the display of information to the end user of the charging system.
Regarding Claim 2:
The charging control system of Claim 1, wherein the data processing hardware is configured to execute the charge protocol for the external device in response to a user input selecting one of the saved charging options.
Caldeira discloses in at least Paragraphs 0080, 0081, & 0084 wherein a control system may be configured to receive an input from a user through a user interface device indicative of the desired charge level [i.e. a user input selecting one of the saved charging options] of one or more auxiliary batteries [i.e. external devices], and the control system controls circuitry to achieve the selected charge level in the one or more auxiliary batteries [i.e. the charge protocol for an external device is executed in response to the selection].
Claim(s) 3, 5, & 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Caldeira (US 2013/0257144 A1) in view of Salter (US 2022/0379743 A1) as applied to claims 1 & 2 above, and further in view of Wang (US 2023/0133875 A1).
Regarding Claim 3:
The charging control system of Claim 2, wherein the user input includes a charge time, the vehicle controller being configured to provide the battery power of the vehicle battery in response to the user input and to provide the projected level of the battery capacity in response to the charge time.
Caldeira discloses in at least Paragraph 0084 wherein the control system [i.e. the vehicle controller] is configured to establish a charge state of one or more vehicle storage batteries based on a user input [i.e. the vehicle controller being configured to provide the battery power of the vehicle battery in response to the user input]. Caldiera however appears to be silent regarding wherein the user input is a charge time, or wherein the battery capacity is provided in response to such.
However Salter teaches in at least Paragraph 0093 wherein a charging setting that may be set or adjusted by a user includes a timer setting of the bidirectional energy transfer, indicating a fixed amount of time for which the bidirectional energy transfer should be performed [i.e. the user input includes a charge time]. While Salter teaches in at least Paragraph 0108 wherein a battery capacity information is calculated and displayed to the user, Salter appears to further be silent regarding where this battery capacity information is projected based on the charge time.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to have modified the disclosure of Caldiera by incorporating the user setting of a charge timer as taught by Salter.
The motivation to do so is that, as acknowledged by Salter in at least Paragraphs 0088 & 0093, a user may customize the duration of the charging operation, improving the user control over the amount of charging performed by the system.
However Wang teaches in at least Paragraph 0022 wherein a charging control apparatus for two groups of batteries connected to one another may include a determination module for determining states of charge for each of the batteries after charging takes place in accordance with a specified charging time based on a charging parameter [i.e. the battery capacity is provided in response to the charge time].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to have modified the disclosure of Caldeira by incorporating the determination of battery state of charge based on charging time as taught by Wang.
The motivation to do so is that, as acknowledged by Wang in at least Paragraphs 0017 & 0022, it may be determined if the battery receiving charge from the other will be in an overcharge state based on the predicted state of charge, improving the performance of charging control of the battery pack.
Regarding Claim 5:
The charging control system of Claim 1, wherein the charging profile stores a charge time, the vehicle controller being configured to communicate with the data processing hardware the projected level of the battery capacity via the network based on the charge time.
Caldeira discloses in at least Paragraph 0084 wherein the control system [i.e. the vehicle controller] is configured to establish a charge state of one or more vehicle storage batteries based on a user input [i.e. the vehicle controller being configured to provide the battery power of the vehicle battery in response to the user input]. Caldiera however appears to be silent regarding wherein the user input is a charge time, or wherein the battery capacity is provided based on such.
However Salter teaches in at least Paragraph 0093 wherein a charging setting that may be set or adjusted by a user includes a timer setting of the bidirectional energy transfer, indicating a fixed amount of time for which the bidirectional energy transfer should be performed [i.e. the charging profile stores a charge time]. While Salter teaches in at least Paragraph 0108 wherein a battery capacity information is calculated and displayed to the user, Salter appears to further be silent regarding where this battery capacity information is projected based on the charge time.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to have modified the disclosure of Caldiera by incorporating the user setting of a charge timer as taught by Salter.
The motivation to do so is that, as acknowledged by Salter in at least Paragraphs 0088 & 0093, a user may customize the duration of the charging operation, improving the user control over the amount of charging performed by the system.
However Wang teaches in at least Paragraph 0022 wherein a charging control apparatus for two groups of batteries connected to one another may include a determination module for determining states of charge for each of the batteries after charging takes place in accordance with a specified charging time based on a charging parameter [i.e. the projected level of the battery capacity is provided based on the charge time].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to have modified the disclosure of Caldeira by incorporating the determination of battery state of charge based on charging time as taught by Wang.
The motivation to do so is that, as acknowledged by Wang in at least Paragraphs 0017 & 0022, it may be determined if the battery receiving charge from the other will be in an overcharge state based on the predicted state of charge, improving the performance of charging control of the battery pack.
Regarding Claim 6:
The charging control system of Claim 5, wherein the vehicle controller is configured to stop the charge time based on the projected level of the battery capacity satisfying a minimum battery range.
Caldiera discloses in at least Paragraph 0077 wherein the control system may receive an input from a user indicative of the desired driving distance upon disconnection of one or more auxiliary batteries, from which the control system may determine a minimum charge level needed to achieve the selected driving distance requirements. Based on this charge level determination, the control system controls the charging in a time-based manner as disclosed in at least Paragraph 0078 to achieve said minimum required charge level in the relevant battery [i.e. the charge time is stopped at the minimum battery range].
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Caldeira (US 2013/0257144 A1) in view of Salter (US 2022/0379743 A1) as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Gadh (US 2013/0179061 A1).
Regarding Claim 4:
The charging control system of Claim 2, wherein the data processing hardware is configured to provide a notification on the display indicating the battery life is at a minimum battery life and is configured to display nearby charging stations for the vehicle.
Caldeira does not appear to specifically disclose wherein the display provides a notification indicating the battery life is at a minimum battery life with associated nearby charging stations for the vehicle.
However Gadh teaches in at least Paragraph 0074 wherein an alert may be issued to the driver through a smartphone acting as a client portal [i.e. a notification on the display is provided] when the vehicle battery capacity falls below a threshold level [i.e. when the battery life is at a minimum battery life]. This alert may include, as further taught in at least Paragraph 0074 of Gadh, a list of near-by charging station locations, with associated distances and charge rate current capacities [i.e. the alert is configured to display nearby charging stations for the vehicle].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to have modified the disclosure of Caldeira by incorporating the notification of a battery capacity falling below a threshold level and direction to a charging station based on such as taught by Gadh.
The motivation to do so is that, as acknowledged by Gadh in at least Paragraph 0074, and as would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention, the battery control system may effectively notify a driver of an optimum course of action based on the current battery state, avoiding the battery running out of charge based on the threshold by ensuring an operator is properly notified to travel to a station to supplement the vehicle charge level, improving the charge management of the vehicle.
Claim(s) 7 & 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Caldeira (US 2013/0257144 A1) in view of Salter (US 2022/0379743 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Roy (US 11,567,503 B1).
Regarding Claim 7:
The charging control system of Claim 1, wherein the data processing hardware stores a weather application in communication with the charging application, the data processing hardware being configured to issue notifications to a user in response to data received from the weather application.
Caldiera appears to be silent regarding a weather application stored on the data processing hardware, configured to issue notifications to a user in response to data received.
However Roy teaches in at least Column 8 Lines 53 – 61 wherein a mobile device [i.e. data processing hardware] downloads weather data from a remote network-connected weather server [i.e. the mobile device contains a weather application], said data including a set of predicted temperatures for a time period. At least Column 12 Lines 23 – 37 of Roy teach wherein a secondary battery of the vehicle may be charged based on the weather information, and at least Column 13 Lines 1 – 32 of Roy teach wherein an updated vehicle range or alternate route may be determined based on the weather information. At least Column 16 Lines 1 – 16 of Roy teaches wherein the mobile device is configured to display a weather alert, including information regarding the original and updated range of the vehicle, as well as information regarding the nature of the weather [i.e. the data processing hardware being configured to issue notifications to a user in response to data received from the weather application].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to have modified the disclosure of Caldiera by incorporating the acquisition and notification of weather data as taught by Roy.
The motivation to do so is that, as acknowledged by Roy in at least Column 16 Lines 25 – 31, a user may be informed regarding changed conditions in weather and associated vehicle performance based on such, as well as charging options to mitigate the reduced performance, improving the performance of the vehicle amid changing weather conditions.
Regarding Claim 8:
The charging control system of Claim 7, wherein the data processing hardware is configured to charge a utility external device in response to a weather notification from the weather application.
Caldeira discloses in at least Paragraphs 0081 & 0084 wherein a control system may be configured to receive information on driving conditions, including weather conditions, and a charging state of the one or more auxiliary batteries [i.e. utility external devices] may be determined on the basis of said driving conditions, with the vehicle control system being configured to control the charging to achieve the determined charge level [i.e. the data processing hardware is configured to charge a utility external device in response to weather information]. While Caldiera discloses in at least Paragraph 0056 wherein data may be acquired at the vehicle controller by a weather service provider, Caldiera appears to be silent regarding acquiring such information from a weather notification from the weather application
However Roy teaches in at least Column 8 Lines 53 – 61 wherein a mobile device [i.e. data processing hardware] downloads weather data from a remote network-connected weather server [i.e. the mobile device contains a weather application], said data including a set of predicted temperatures for a time period. At least Column 12 Lines 23 – 37 of Roy teach wherein a secondary battery of the vehicle may be charged based on the weather information, and at least Column 13 Lines 1 – 32 of Roy teach wherein an updated vehicle range or alternate route may be determined based on the weather information.
Conclusion
The following prior art made of record but not relied upon is considered pertinent to the Applicant’s disclosure:
Penilla (US 2019/0061541 A1): Penilla recites an electric vehicle including a battery slot, the battery being configured to store and supply charge to the electric vehicle motor. The battery is configured to be exchangeable, by physically removing the battery from the slot and replacing it with another, presumptively higher charged, battery. The removable battery acts as a system for providing auxiliary charge to the main battery of the vehicle, supplementing the energy stores of the main vehicle battery.
Birek (US 2022/0024347 A1): Birek recites a method for determining a minimum state of charge for a vehicle to be charged to based on a prediction of a reduction in the state of charge of the energy storage means for the vehicle. This may be based in part on user defined requirements or inputs for future driving of the vehicle, such as an associated time period or distance.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER RYAN CARDIMINO whose telephone number is (571)272-2759. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 8:30-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ramya Burgess can be reached at (571)272-6011. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTOPHER R CARDIMINO/Examiner, Art Unit 3661
/RAMYA P BURGESS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3661